Frind Estate Winery

Frind Estate Winery holds a claim no other producer on the continent can make: it is North America's first beachfront winery, with a tasting experience that comes with sand, lake views and even boat access. Founded by tech entrepreneur Markus Frind in 2017, the winery occupies the historic Bennett property on Boucherie Road in West Kelowna, a storied piece of Okanagan lakeshore, and pairs a long family farming heritage with a notably modern, technology-forward approach to winemaking. The result is a portfolio of distinctive wines poured in one of the valley's most relaxed settings, where guests can taste with their toes practically in Okanagan Lake. Visitors can choose from straightforward bar tastings to elevated seated experiences paired with charcuterie, and the on-site Frind Beach Cafe and Patio adds freshly baked treats and locally roasted coffee for those making an afternoon of it. The beachfront lawns and patio make this one of the Okanagan's most family-friendly winery stops, and arriving by boat is a genuine option in summer. Frind anchors the Westside Wine Trail, the string of wineries along Boucherie Road in West Kelowna, which makes it easy to combine a beach-side tasting here with visits to the neighbouring estates on the slopes above. Reservations for tastings can be booked online and are a good idea in peak season, when the lakefront setting draws steady crowds. For travellers, Frind offers a distinctly Okanagan combination: serious wine ambition in a setting that feels like summer holiday, just minutes from the William R. Bennett Bridge and downtown Kelowna. It is an obvious pick for groups mixing dedicated tasters with companions who would rather enjoy the beach, because here nobody has to choose.